How T-Cell Immunotherapy for Leukemia Works

A patient's own immune cells (T cells) are removed from the blood and genetically modified or reprogrammed in the laboratory.

This modification or reprogramming allows them to potentially target and kill their own malignant cells. The modified cells (CTL019 cells) are then grown in the laboratory and re-infused into the patient.

When the patient's own T-cells recognize and bind to the malignant cell, they have the ability to become activated and kill it.

"Our early findings reveal tremendous promise for a desperate group of patients, many of whom have been able to return to their normal lives at school and work after receiving this new, personalized immunotherapy," said Carl June, MD Penn research team's leader, Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy in the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine and director of Translational Research in the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. "Receiving the FDA's Breakthrough Designation is an essential step in our work with Novartis to expand this therapy to patients across the world who desperately need new options to help them fight this disease." Read more...